


Birthdays

by LMAO_Its_Jazzy



Category: One Piece
Genre: Friendship, Platonic Relationships, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 07:47:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23967859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LMAO_Its_Jazzy/pseuds/LMAO_Its_Jazzy
Summary: It's Cosette's first birthday since she took a beating from the Second Prince.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	Birthdays

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY COSETTE!!🎉

Reiju stretched from her soft fleece pink sheets and yawned. It was six in the morning and the following day on her calendar was marked red. 

  
“Oh my,” she blinked. It is Cosette’s birthday.

She is known for being strict, yet a thoughtful Princess to her subordinates unlike her brothers. Reiju loves being casual when she’s alone with them and likes having a small talk when she would make rounds to the staff and chat with them. It seems everything is fine when Reiju is around; they could forgot for a moment how brute and abrasive the Vinsmoke family is when she is hiding her pretentious angelic behavior from them.

Cosette is one of the employees that Reiju has been observing since Niji’s abrupt and unacceptable behavior to her. Cosette is a fragile woman these days, and she is needed to be monitored often by their doctors. She had fractures from different parts of her body; including the most important part: Her hands. She is healing, but not as fast like them since she is indeed just a normal human being. 

* * *

The morning starts the usual. Breakfast is served at seven and it was Cosette’s time to serve their meals on the tables. She meekly stood by the corner as she watches them enjoying her dishes that she worked her blood and sweat so early in the morning. Cosette could hear the Vinsmokes talking about their missions and their current agenda to work on with their mouths full or crumbs on their face; well, except for the first two children.

  
A few minutes later, she waited for them to finish as she collects their gold-engraved porcelain platters. She noticed that the princes’ plates did left some untouched food. She sighed from the looks of it; maybe she should start giving them with fewer servings? That would save a lot of money and food on their stocks. Among the plates she had gathered, Reiju had the cleanest one. She left her plates stocked and her teacup placed upside down and her utensils at the top on the plates. She really admires her sincerity.

Cosette later heads to the kitchen with a tin cart of the used place in her hands for her convenience and opens the huge door. The heat from the steams of pots and cobblers blew on her face as the cling-clanging of the pans against the stove rang her ears. She heads to the sink to prepares washing the dishes when she noticed a small paper under Reiju’s teacup.

_Kitchen. 1 AM. Don’t be late. –R_

She blinked at the note and kept on her pocket. What could miss Reiju want at this time of hour? She never remembered Reiju asking for a midnight snack. She is informed that her mistress always sleep at the right hours and follows a healthy sleeping routine.

* * *

Cosette was still in her uniform, but her hair was untied. She did not have the time to fix herself since she was a too sleepy to groom herself. She walks down the dark halls of the castle with a small lamp on her hand.

She made a few knocks before she enters the kitchen, “Your highness?” she narrowed her eyes at the faint light from the kitchen counter. 

“Happy Birthday, Cosette!” Reiju smiled as the candles on the cake beamed her flawless face.

“M-Milady! I…” Cosette was out of words as she approaches the excited princess by the counter. “You shouldn’t have.” 

“Oh, this is nothing!” Reiju flips her hand, “I actually asked a favor from your sous-chef to let me borrow your kitchen for your birthday and made you these.” She proudly showed the soft sponge Red Velvet cake with gold candy drops for decoration on each swirl of icing. There was a bottle of red wine and two plates of Chicken Alfredo Pasta.

“I hope you’ll love them,” Reiju tried to avert her eyes from Cosette. “I actually read this recipe I borrowed from one of the chefs. It’s—it’s not presentable, I know.” She bit her lips and lowers her head. Cosette never saw the Princess being embarrassed like this before. She was surprised that she is still wearing a dirtied apron, and she could tell that she worked so hard for it. 

“Ooh, I-I love it Miss Reiju!” she stammered. Her face flushed into a light shade of pink, “I’m so happy, your highness. You really made my day special.”

“No formalities for tonight, Cosette. You may call me Reiju,” she smiled at her. “Here, taste it,” she rolls a few pastas on the fork to feed the bewildered Cosette. She was hesitant to open her mouth for a moment, “Taste it!” she repeated as Cosette finally tucks her locks of hair before opening her mouth.

Reiju really put an effort on her dish; she chose the right spices, the creaminess of the sauce is balanced with saltiness and sweetness. The texture of the chicken on her tongue is juicy and well cooked. The pasta was soft and were smooth in her mouth.

“Mmm,” Cosette wipes the sauce on her lips with her finger, “It’s really good milady—I mean, Re-Reiju,” she stammered at her new calling to the Princess.

* * *

Niji cannot end his day without tasting a glass of scotch.

It was 1:30 in the morning and the halls were emptied from the wandering employees; there were no guards since they have surveillance cameras on every corners of their castle.  
His steps were approaching the kitchen, but he halted when he heard someone talking— more like giggling. The door was slightly agape and there was a faint light inside. He slowly paced to the kitchen door and prepares to emit electricity from his hand when he heard his name from the other side of the door.

“… to apologize for Niji’s unruly behavior from you. I promise it won’t happen again and, I also understand if you want to resign,” the voice sounded familiar.

“Oh, Reiju.” 

_So... It was his sister._

“I- I can’t totally blame him from what happened. But I really do fear him as much as I pity him,” the voice changed into a soft, yet a slightly higher pitch. Niji knew he had heard this voice somewhere. It came from a pleading wench, but this time, it was calm and reassuring.

Who the hell would pity a Vinsmoke? Why should they be pitied for their advancements and their tremendous prowess in science and technology? His jaw clenched and fisted from the insult. He was ready to interrupt the conversation.

“What I know is that your brothers didn’t deserve to be monsters in the first place as to what they are now,” the voice added. “They were modified without your mother’s consent as what you have told me.”

Surprisingly, Niji was calmed from the statement. He chewed on his lips, leans on the cold walls of the hall and crossed his arms to listen at the rest of the story.

“Don’t worry Reiju, I won’t resign. I’d be putting myself on the line to serve you with the best of what I can.”

 _No formalities? The audacity._ He glanced a peek to know who was talking.

“I’m so glad to have you here, Cosette.” Niji saw his sister hugging another woman.

“Happy birthday, dear Cosette!”

“Ah,” Niji uncrossed his arms and sighed, “It’s the cooking wench’s birthday today.” He turned back and decided to skip a night without his scotch. 

**Author's Note:**

> Man, I love writing for my baby~ I'm also a sucker for Reiju and Cosette's secret friendship.


End file.
